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"To all of the women and girls out there, I stand with you" - Reflections From A Survivor

"My journey to speak with the Justice Committee yesterday has been a long and tiresome one.

I still embody the same values as my previous years, however, right now there is no finesse. It has become, in the last 6 weeks particularly, about raw emotion and its power.

Yesterday offered no exception. Yes, I spoke, but more than that, I was able to influence politicians by opening up the scars of the past and letting the emotion flow like blood from an open wound. I let it pour out, I have never done this to more than one person before, and even then, I have never tapped into the pain that I am feeling alongside it. Yesterday, I felt my whole truth.

My world did not collapse, my perpetrator did not suffer any serious harm because of my truth and I am still here today.

Today is a new day. A day that I can reflect on meeting an inspiring group of women who have been subjected to such trauma that, like me, they question how they are even functioning. They shared their stories and opened their wounds before me. They paved the way for my truth to be told. I will be forever grateful to them.

To the politicians who sat silently hanging on our every word, thank you. You were respectful and willing and clearly somewhat impacted by our words.

Today is the day for action, there is no more to be said. I have said all I can, I have drained myself for now to ensure that no one has to go through this again.

To all of the women and girls out there, I stand with you. I take your hand in the bad times, so that you know I am here, I will be with you as you cry alone wondering what you have become.

Talk to me, share your truth when the time is right for you and use it to move you forward on this seemingly endless rocky path. At the end of every rocky path is a beautiful sunrise and another opportunity for yet another chapter in this book of life."